Apr. 29 - Learning from Jesus through Mary

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Scriptures in the Mass Readings for both Wednesday in the Thrid Week after Easter and for the Optional Memorial for St. Catherine of Siena are so beautiful, I hope you will listen to both and by God’s Grace ponder the Lord’s Words as Mary our Mother pondered all in her heart.

Gospel - for the Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena:

At that time Jesus responded:
"I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." (Mt 11: 25-30)

Gospel for Wednesday, third week of Easter:

Jesus said to the crowds,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.” (Jn 6:35-40)

I chose to put The Gospel for the optional Memorial first since humility is the foundation of our Faith. Hopefully we will truly learn from Him through Mary our Mother most humble and most faithful.

Come Holy Spirit! Jesus we trust in You! Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.

 

[hazcompat]

Second reading
From the dialogue On Divine Providence by Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor
I tasted and I saw

Eternal God, eternal Trinity, you have made the blood of Christ so precious through his sharing in your divine nature. You are a mystery as deep as the sea; the more I search, the more I find, and the more I find the more I search for you. But I can never be satisfied; what
I receive will ever leave me desiring more. When you fill my soul I have an even greater hunger, and I grow more famished for your light. I desire above all to see you, the true light, as you really are.

I have tasted and seen the depth of your mystery and the beauty of your creation with the light of my understanding. I have clothed myself with your likeness and have seen what I shall be. Eternal Father, you have given me a share in your power and the wisdom that Christ claims as his own, and your Holy Spirit has given me the desire to love you. You are my Creator, eternal Trinity, and I am your creature. You have made of me a new creation in the blood of your Son, and I know that you are moved with love at the beauty of your creation, for you have enlightened me.

Eternal Trinity, Godhead, mystery deep as the sea, you could give me no greater gift than the gift of yourself. For you are a fire ever burning and never consumed, which itself consumes all the selfish love that fills my being. Yes, you are a fire that takes away the coldness, illuminates the mind with its light and causes me to know your truth. By this light, reflected as it were in a mirror, I recognize that you are the highest good, one we can neither comprehend nor fathom. And I know that you are beauty and wisdom itself. The food of angels, you gave yourself to man in the fire of your love.

You are the garment which covers our nakedness, and in our hunger you are a satisfying food, for you are sweetness and in you there is no taste of bitterness, O triune God!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks so much for sharing this quote from St. Catherine of Siena, whose feast we celebrated yesterday. I have loved St. Catherine ever since reading "The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena" and I’ve gone back to it often. If anyone reading this thread has not read her work, you many want to click on the link since it will take you to the online version of her book.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear QuietTrad, Cath and Stephie,

Thanks so much for your faith-full and loving “hearts” which continue loving Jesus through Mary. May we all grow more and more like our Mother as she learned from Jesus. By God’s Abundant Work of Grace in our souls, may we become meek and humble of heart, persevering in Faith, Hope and Charity.